I worked with a VA outpatient clinic at a previous job. This sounds exactly right to me. They actually receive funding based off number of vets, not amount of care, so they’ll do whatever they can to help you sign up. They’re usually a small doctors office and maybe some therapist offices, but at least that gets you in the door in your area.

But bigger stuff that you need to get into the main hospital, I believe that’s where there is still a major backlog of patients. Covid didn’t help I know that.